method and an arrangement for handling resource data

Abstract

A method and an arrangement for providing resource data for at least one resource to a watching client. A subscription request for resource data regarding a resource sent from a watching client is received ( 700 ) by a notification server, the subscription request comprising a reference to notification rule being pre-configured in a database for the watching client. The delivery of notifications to the watching client is controlled ( 710 ) based on the reference. Supplementing the subscription requests with a reference to pre-configured notification rules regarding the observed resource(s) instead of the actual notification rules, reduces the amount of information being transferred with plural subscription requests for a watching client.

1 . A method in a notification server for providing resource data regarding at least one resource to a watching client comprising the following steps:
 receiving ( 700 ) a subscription request sent from the watching client for resource data regarding the at least one resource, the subscription request comprising a reference to at least one notification rule being pre-configured in a database for the watching client, and   controlling the delivery ( 710 ) of notifications including resource data to the watching client based on said reference.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of controlling further, comprises: obtaining ( 702 ) the at least one notification rule from the database according to the reference, and applying at least one of the obtained notification rule(s) for either retrieving ( 706 ) resource data from a resource data server, or delivering ( 710 ) the notifications. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the obtained notification rules is applied for either transforming ( 704 ) the received subscription request from the resource data model applied by the watching client into the resource data model applied by at least one of the resources, or transforming ( 708 ) the retrieved resource data from the resource data model applied by at least one of the resources into the resource data model applied by watching client. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2  or  3 , wherein a least one of the notification rules is defined in a filter. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the filter is formatted in accordance with the XML format and the database is stored in an XDMS. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 4  or  5 , wherein the filter defines notification rules regarding at least one of: notifications with a certain type of resource data, notifications not exceeding a maximum data amount, notifications for one or more specific resources, and notifications at certain times of day, week or season. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 4  or  5 , wherein the filter defines notification rules regarding transformation of request messages and notifications from a first resource data model to a second resource data model. 
     
     
         8 . A notification server ( 800 ,  800 ′) for providing resource data regarding at least one resource to a watching client comprising:
 a first communication unit ( 802 ) adapted to receive a subscription request to the resource data regarding the resource from the watching client on a first communication link ( 820 ), and deliver at least one notification comprising the resource data on the watching client on the first communication link ( 820 ), 
 a notification rules manager ( 804 ,  804 ′) adapted to identify a reference supplied with the subscription request, obtain at least one notification rule from a database ( 850 ) based on the reference, retrieve the resource data, and form at least one notification comprising at least some of the resource data, 
 a notification rules storage unit ( 806 ) adapted to be uploaded with the obtained notification rule(s) by the notification rules manager ( 804 ,  804 ′) and store the obtained notification rule(s), and 
 a resource data storage unit ( 810 ) adapted to store resource data, and 
 
       wherein the notification rules manager ( 804 ,  804 ′) is further adapted to apply at least one of the obtained notification rule(s) for either performing the retrieval of resource data, or forming the notifications. 
     
     
         9 . The notification server ( 800 ,  800 ′) according to  claim 8 , wherein the notification server manager ( 804 ,  804 ′) is further adapted to split up the obtained notification rule(s) and apply the obtained notification rule(s) being relevant for each observed resource. 
     
     
         10 . The notification server ( 800 ) according to  claim 8  or  9 , wherein the notification rules manager ( 804 ) is further adapted to retrieve the resource data from the resource data storage unit ( 810 ). 
     
     
         11 . The notification server ( 800 ′) according to  claim 8  or  9 , wherein the notification rules manager ( 804 ′) is further adapted to retrieve the resource data from a resource data server, the notification server ( 800 ′) comprises a second communication unit ( 808 ) adapted to perform the retrieval of the resource data from the resource data server on a second communication link ( 822 ), and the resource data storage unit ( 810 ) is further adapted to be uploaded with the retrieved resource data by the notification rules manager ( 804 ′). 
     
     
         12 . The notification server ( 800 ,  800 ′) according to any of  claim 8 - 11 , further comprising a transformer ( 804   b ) adapted to apply at least one of the obtained notification rules for at least one of:
 transforming the subscription request(s) received from the first communication unit  802  from the resource data model applied by the watching client into the resource data model applied by at least one of the resources, and 
 transforming the notifications to be sent by the first communication unit from the resource data model applied by at least one of the resources into the resource data model applied by watching client.